Railway-tie plate.



No. 672,7l9. Patented Apr. 23, l90l.

J. W. STEPHENSON.

RAILWAY TIE PLATE.

Application filed July 25. 1900.

( No llodai.)

INVENTOR w! jufiim UNITED STATES JOHN W. STEPHENSON, OF TOLEDO,

PATENT FFICE...

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL RAILWAY-TIE PLATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,719, dated April 23, 1901.

Application filed July 251 19 00.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. STEPHENSON, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Tie Plates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanyin g drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 shows in end elevation, partly in section, a tie-plate constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the plate. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, and Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section on the line IV IV of Fig. 3. of the tie-plate, showing in dotted lines a tierod applied thereto. Fig. 6 is a vertical crosssection on the line VI VI of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, 2 represents the tie-plate, having on its surface shoulders 3 4, between which the rail a is set, and having holes 5 5 for spikes by which the'plate is secured to the tie. On the under side of the plate are ribs 6 6, which extend in a direction transverse to the rail, so as to be parallel with the grain of the wood of the tie. These ribs are preferably somewhat sharp, so that they may be forced into the tie, and are of greater depth than width, and the spike-holes 5 are formed in line with the ribs, preferably immediately at the ends thereof. This is-important, because the ends of the ribs constitute abutments against which the spikes bear. They thus brace the spikes and cause them to hold with greater stability, and by reason of the extended bearing which they afford they prevent the wear of the margin of the hole, which is apt to occur by reason of the vibration of the plate in contact with the spike. It is important also for the further reason that being in line with the ribs the spikes enter and close the ends of the-splits in the wood which are formed by the ribs. These splits are very objectionable, because they open the grain of Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View Serial No. 24,778. (No model.)

the wood to receive water, which lodges therein and sets up decay. My invention afiords means by which this evil may be minimized. The splits at the ends of the ribs remote from the spike-holes are not closed by the spikes; but the disadvantage of the splits at these points is lessened by terminating the ribs short of the end of the tie-plate, so as to afford an overlapping margin 1) b of the plate, which covers the splits and protects them from water.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show a device which enables the tie-plate to be fitted with a tie-rod connecting it with the plate at the other side of the track. This device consists of a socket or recess 0 on the under side of the plate in which a spike-hole d is formed. The tie-rod is placed in this socket and is held therein and fixed to the plate and to the tie by one of the spikes. This device is claimed in another patent application filed by me on July 25, 1900, Serial No. 24,779.

Within the scope of my invention as defined in the claims changes may be made by those skilled in the art, since What I claim is 1. A tie-plate having on its under side a rib which extends transversely to the position of the rail, and a spike-hole, said rib being in line with the spike-hole and terminating immediately at the hole and constituting an abutment for the spike; substantially as described.

2. A tie-plate having on its under side a rib which extends transversely to the position of the rail, and is of greater depth than width, and a spike-hole formed in line with the rib; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN W. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses:

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL, G. I. HoLDsHIP. 

